Flight
by Bio-Nic
Summary: Kenichi faces reality, not only of himself, but where his life is leading him. Miu faces both a past unknown, a future unregarded, and the cost that love brings.
1. Flight

Flight

He stood alone, the light of northern Japan filtering through the dense canopy of tree cover as he worked on his forms, pensive expression broken only by the tears that streamed from his eyes. He knew that he had run away, left everything and everyone. He had to. How could he face them, his masters, his friends, his classmates. He had failed, in the worst way, and now his anger had turned into a dark, evil aura that glowed with a nascent green hue as his punches continued to accelerate until, in a crescendo of explosive power, he turned the trees 50 meters or more into so much kindling. His anger abated for the evening, he went to collect his pack from the small grove nearby before he continued on his way.

------

Black flashed before his eyes for a moment before resolving itself into the dojo. She worked with him on a particularly difficult maneuver, one involving a complex block and grab that positioned her below him. He felt again, not for the first or second, or even millionth time, the tension between them as he began to attempt to force her into ceding his victory. She always had a look, not of expectation, but happiness whenever they worked together, worked this closely. His love for her had only grown, these many months sparring together. Mixed respect, love, adoration and friendship were warring inside him, trying to make sense of these emotions that she could convey. As their grappling continued, he began to hunker down, his shoulders becoming tight and making his muscles begin to weaken. They had been grappling for this more than an hour, and as his face and hers strained together to make the forms work, they approched, closer and closer, until without warning, his back gave, and his head rocked forward just as hers moved to the next position. For one, brief fleeting moment, he felt a warm, sweet taste on his lips, before blackness enveloped him completeley...

-----

He felt a presense, the distinct tickling at the back of his neck that indicated someone with a great power was nearby. There was no killing intent, but even so he moved more cautiously through the crowed streets of Sapporo. He was still running, he knew, still trying to understand the darkness that was eating at him, making him try to avoid his desires. He would not face them, could not face them. Ducking into an alley, he quickly bounded up some trash cans to get a better view of whoever he had felt.

------

He opened his eyes carefully, the pain in his back and neck making even that much effort a chore. He was in his room, laying down on his bed. He must have lost consiousness during training. Who had he been practicing with again? Sudden recent memories flooded back, reminding him of what had happened during their spar. Bright flashes exploded behind his eye as he realized that they had kissed, touched lips together. Looking around, he found her in the corner, curled up with her face in her knees. What had happened after he lost consiousness?

"Miu-san, are you okay?" He called weakly. How long had he been unconsious? Her head flew up, eyes wide with tears as she gazed upon him.

"Kenichi! You woke up!" She moved over to his bedside, her eyes scanning his features for any sign of pain.

"What happened, when did I get moved here?" He asked, noticing the bloodshot look and signs of crying on her face.

Miu looked pale for a moment, then averted her eyes. "How much do you remember after you lost consiousness, Kenichi?" She had asked this tenatively, almost fearfully. What had happened?

"Uhh, I don't remember much of anything..." his words were cut off as Kensei walked in. His face was grave, seeming to be cast under the shadow of his ever present hat.

"You attacked her Kenichi, you raped Miu..." His features were wooden, although behind his eyes Kenichi saw the sad truth of his.

"WHAT?!" were the only words Kenichi was able to get out before Miu burst into tears, fleeing from the room...

----

He ran through the sparely wooded corpse of trees, moving as quickly and silently as he could, moving for all his life, running for all his life. His persuer was close behind, he knew. He also knew the consequences of being caught be them. He silently cursed himself for wanting to see who had been following him. No sooner had he reached the top of the building, that he felt the distinctive rush of a sword as his neck.

"Don't... move" Shigure's command had been like iron, even spoken by such a diminutive figure. "You... need to come... back."

Shigure was suddenly buffets back by blows, which while not damaging her, had nonetheless given Kenichi the time to get away.

"Damn" Shigure swore, in a moment of weakness before calling out to her companion "Go after him!"

-----

The clearing was bright with the midday sun, the trees were just reaching their autum peak before they would lose their summer luster and move into the winter cycle. Kenichi had stopped to rest for just a moment, when suddenly the pressure in the clearing became unbearable. Moving out of the shade of one of the large cypress trees, Miu, in full battle garb, face grim and set, began running at Kenichi, an unidentifiable look crossing her fair features as the battle was joined...

To Be Continued.


	2. Fear

Fear

He was improving at a vast rate, even better than she had predicted when he began training at Ryozenpaku. Training with him had been a delight, and his friendship had meant so much in these months together. The loneliness that she had felt for so long had been subsumed by his friendship. As they sparred, as he became better, the feelings deep in her heart had become stronger and stronger. After the fight at D&D, a part of her had wanted to take their relationship... where? The confusion was driving her to distraction, and increasingly that distraction was causing her to become lax during training.

They had been working on this grapple for hours, and as their bodies heated together, she began to feel something more begin to build deep inside her. Her stomach felt fluttery every time their eyes met. The strain on his face, the way the sweat made him seem to gleam from some internal fire, it was making long suppressed feelings rise in Miu. Their close combat had shown. The strain on his face as he held himself over her, attempting to break the armbar lock around his neck and complete the submission hold made her head spin. Suddenly the tension broke, his head came forward, and for one fleeting, sweet second, their lips touched. Something inside Miu that had been dorment for her entire life flared to life, and even as he lost consiousness, she struck at his defenselessness, his vunerability. He really had no chance. Cloths flew. Fur flied. Rockets blasted off, and Miu finally gave in... to herself.

When her grandfather found them, naked and curled up on the dojo floor later, their shredded cloths tossed across the room, her attempts at explainations were unable to prevent the beating poor Kenichi recieved...

------

Three weeks later...

She sat in the corner of his room, waiting for him to wake up. She could not imagine what had made her do... that. They were good friends, close friends. He had even admitted, though not in so many ways or actions, that he cared for her. What had gotten into her? Her feelings were in a turmoil, her eyes were bloodshot, she had barely slept and couldn't go to school. Something had changed inside her, though. Even in her state, she could not seem to keep her eyes from watching his chest as it rose and fell. Even now, deep in the pit of her soul, she felt that same animalistic, primal need to be close to him gnaw at her. She waited... and then she noted the change, his eyes began to flutter. His eyes suddenly snapped open, and seeking through the confusion, locked onto her blue eyes with concern

"Miu-san, are you okay?" His raspy voice was weak, but there. He was okay! He wasn't going to die! That primal part of herself called out and sang in joy that HER mate was still alive. She quashed it down, only to have the memories of what happened bring a fierce blush to her cheeks.

"Kenichi! You woke up!" She began to move over to his bedside, her eyes scanning his features for any sign of pain. She longed to touch him, to even now be near him. The anger and painful argument with her grandfather over the events leading to their discovery, held privately in his room flashed through her mind.

Kenichi was hers, her friend, her love, and now her lover. She needed to explain what had happened to him. She needed to clear this before things got out of hand. A unseen movement behind her prevented that, as Kensei moved into the room from his guard position outside the door. He had been away when... it... happened, and thus had not been informed as to what really happened. Her grandfather had sequestered himself in the mountains, Not even explaining to the other masters beyond "Watch him" as he left the complex. She had spoken to no one else about what had occured, not until she explained it to him...

Even as Kenichi was asking questions, she was having trouble focusing on what he was asking. Ma broke in and, with the seriousness that only a parent can impart, told him what happened...

"You attacked her Kenichi, you raped Miu..." Kensei had jumped to the wrong conclusion, Miu realized suddenly.

Miu was suddenly facing too many questions, too many emotions, she couldn't handle this. Damn Ma, damn Kenichi, damn her grandfather, damn herself! Miu burst into tears to Kenichis cry of "WHAT?!" and ran out of the room, sobbing.

-------

The evening air blew in through the open shoji, the chill of winter fading into the spring lifebloom. She couldn't imagine what she was going to say, or how she was going to appologize for what had happened. She still could not fathom what had gotten into her. She couldn't make sense of what was raging inside of her anymore. She hadn't gone back to his room for several hours. Ma had tried to speak to him about what happened, unfortunatly Kenichi had been stunned silent, and couldn't listen to what Ma was saying. Kensei had left the room after he realized that nothing was going to get through to Kenichi's addled brain for quite some time

-------

When Miu finally again mustered the courage to walk back to his room and peek inside, the only thing she found was an empty bed and a simple one line letter signed by him.

"I'm sorry, Goodbye"

The letter fell even as the tears welled up and Miu fell to his empty bed, crying like a wounded animal.


	3. Friendship

Friendship

Kenichi finished writing a simple letter before packing a few belongings along with his collection of Yami challenge tokens before woozily standing to his feet and escaping out the window of Ryozenpaku. Even as he left he began to realize that he needed to stop and tell at least one person before he atoned for his transgression against Miu. With his resolve set, he set off for James Shibuya sensei's home, an indefinable look in his brown eyes.

*****

James Shibuya had been a master of boxing for many years before his fateful fight with Yomi. Broken and desolate, he had given up home of both vengeance and passing his school school until he was found by the the young man who was currently on his sixth, no eighth rep of 300 pounds at the bench press. He needed to work on Takeda's speed more. Maybe that training manual about tying steak to his pupil and being chased by rabid dogs wasn't such a bad idea after all... His revere into new training ideas for Takeda was disrupted by the sound of tentative knocking on his door. Who could it be this early in the morning?

*****

"Takeda, get the door!" called Shibuya-sensei. Moving under the more than 160 extra pounds of weighted gear as well as the heavy spring system that constantly conditioned his muscles, he opened the door, grumbling about punishment for not running 24 miles in 1 hour the day before. As he opened the door, he realized that there was something seriously wrong with Kenichi, even as the young martial artist trudged into the home and closed the door behind him.

*****

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Takeda couldn't believe what he was hearing. The words that were coming out of Kenich's mouth made no sense to him. There was no way that he could... I mean, he was spineless, and wouldn't even HIT a woman much less... that. Miu was a lot stronger than that. She wouldn't, couldn't... it was impossible. Even as s Kenichi recounted what had happened, and what he was doing, and planning, Takeda felt the rage building behind his eyes. Shock turned into disbelief, which turned into anger, which then turned into rage as Kenichi spoke in a dead, flat voice about his plans to go away and not return. Even if he did understand what he did, understood the gravity of what had happened, he could not honestly think that running away was going to save him from people. He wasn't that stupid was he?!

*****

The... dead... expression on Kenichi's still bruised face sank even lower until finally he finished his story with a heaving sigh. Miu's lovely face flashed behind Takeda's eyes, her hurt expression and fearful eyes pleading with Kenichi to stop driving deep into his heart and lodging there like a bad piece of food. He squeezed his eyes shut, even as the red rage began to churn in his stomach. He was losing control of his rage, he intelligently understood. Another part of him, one that he had been ignoring thrashed and gnashed against the inside of his head, the anger inside him beginning to boil up inside. Something was going to give, and soon.

"That's why I need you to tell everyone that I have headed for Tokyo. I need to clear my head and figure out what I can do from here on out." Kenichi finished lamely. He was running away. He seemed to think that somehow it would make things easier, better for Miu if he wasn't there. That little SHIT was running away? That wasn't going to happen. Oh no, he was going back there and facing the hangman's noose. He had hurt Miu, disrespected the elders and his teacher, betrayed his friends... There was no running away and hiding from this... Takeda would make sure of that.

"No. You're going to come with me, we are going back there, you're going to apologize, then you're gonna get the proper whipping you deserve, you worthless shit..." The venom in Takeda's words seemed to wake Kenichi up from his monotone conversation. His eyes for the first time flashed wiht a bit of their old spark. "What?! If I go back there, I will be killed by the other masters, the beating the elder gave me was just the beginning! You're my friend, the only one I could come to..." Kenichi's words were cut off by a sharp right cross. It wasn't the best Takeda could throw from his position, but all the anger that had been building, all the resentment, and pain he felt when he saw Miu with Kenichi flowed out in one explosive punch. Caught off guard, Kenichi went over the chair he was sitting on, flecks of blood flowing from his nose and mouth. Kicking the small behavior of Miu afterwards. He was willing to let Takeda get this anger out of his system before intervening and keeping Kenichi here until he could contact the elder or someone who was closer to the situation. He knew also that despite his brazen and vehement denials, Takeda had strong emotions for Miu, which were now directed full force as anger at Kenichi. This was not going to fair well for the young martial artist.

"Asshole! You fucking asshole!" Takeda's third assult on Kenichi again only hit air, as the Seikuken protected Kenichi from the hyper fast punches being thrown at him. "I'm going to kill you! You hurt Miu, you complete BASTARD!" Kenichi wasn't fighthing back, only dodging and attempting to stay out of range as Takeda only became more incensed, increasing the speed of his strikes. "You were supposed to protect her! You promised, you fought, you won, and THIS is how you repay her? How you repay Shou?!" With a roar, a surprise upper caught Kenichi on the chin, snapping his head back and rattling his brain. As he fell back, he saw Takeda coming in for the final strike, and no doubt intended to kill him just as the darkness came down again.

James had watched this fight with growing concern. He knew Takeda was angry, but this was quickly getting out of control and turning into something much more dangerous. When Ikki caught Kenichi with the upper and he went down, James intervened between his student and the fallen martial artist, stopping Ikki from finishing his fallen opponent. This would not be a death match. Not until all the facts were straightened out. Suddenly feeling a massive presence of killing intent behind him, he dodged out of the way just in time as Kenichi lashed out at Takeda, whirling into a complex kata that buffeted Takeda back to the retaining wall under the bridge. James noted with alarm that Kenichi's movements had lost all their hesitation, he was functioning on autopilot, his body snapping to defense even as Takeda, his anger beginning to cool as James interfered, flared back up. He attempted combination after combination, only to be batted away as if a child.

Kenichi was giving no quarter, his fighting style flowing from Mui Tai to Karate to boxing to a mix of Kung Fu and mixes of styles in between. Kenichi pounded strike after strike into the nearly defenseless Takeda, who while attempting to defend himself, was no match against the merciless and seeming unconscious Sei fighter. With a roar, Kenichi blew through Takeda's defenses one last time, his two iron fist strike blowing the young boxer back, and over the edge of the canal into the river below.

****

"Kenichi!" Miu cried as she dropped down next to James-sensei. She was only able to gape in horror as Kenichi's final strike send Takeda over the edge of the canal wall and into the rushing water. She had to make a hasty decison, and jumped after Takeda to prevent him from being dragged into the sewer and death.

*****

James was more than surprised to hear Miu land next to him, and even moreso when instead of an angry cry at Kenichi, he heard only tortured pain. Even hearing that, she still jumped into the river after Ikki. Kenichi looked on this with blank eyes, before turning and bounding away the other direction. James was too shocked by the whole turn of events to go after him, and waited until Miu returned a few minutes later, his student under her arm and limping badly and blood flowed from his mouth and nose. By the time she was able to get him inside, Kenichi was long gone.


	4. Fault

Fault

Kenichi slid the window to his room open silently. Dropping to the floor inside, he winced as the muscles in his left cheek throbbed where Takeda had gotten in a lucky cross. Biting back a wince, he began to put together a emergency pack. He had maybe 15 minutes before someone from Ryozenpaku found him, and he couldn't be caught. Throwing extra cloths, a change of underwear, several books and a extra gi in his rucksack, he began to go over everything that had happened in the last few hours. He didn't know how badly he had hurt Takeda, or badly he had been hurt. His ribs still screamed when he tried to shift his weight, and his eyesight still wavered slightly when he moved too quickly.

He dropped to the bed suddenly, bile rising to his throat as he realized what he had done to Miu. He had made her cry.. he had done the most shameful, horrible thing that one person could do to another, and he was running away from it. What did that tell him about himself. What was he going to do now? He wasn't even able to run away properly, most of his money still being at Ryozenpaku.

Kenichi began to laugh, first as just a snicker, then working its way up through a chuckle until finally he began to laugh out loud in full unencumbered hysterical peals of laughter. He didn't even realize he was crying until his father came through the door, the commotion drawing him from behind his daily paper at the kitchen table.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN HERE?!" Kenichi's father, Motosugu demanded hotly, his ever present shotgun popping out of one of the wall hangings in the hall as he skidded to a stop.

Kenichi tried to see his father through his streaming tears, and one choked out word at a time began... "Dad you won't believe what happened..." Kenichi suddenly lost all semblance of control and gushed out with what the situation had devolved to, his fathers open mouth gape becoming more grim with every word. Soon, Kenichi's words flowing, he explained everything that he had kept quiet from his father and family for these last years... He couldn't help himself. The story spilled like tears to a river... unstoppable. All the fights, all the training, all of it. He recounted everything, not stopping with his last disastrous training with Miu, nor knocking Takeda into the river...

*****

"I... see." His father was shocked. His sheltered, quiet son had just bared all of his secrets, all the training, all the trips, all the fighting, nearly dying..." his surprise at his sons condition turned to amazement further in, then to sorrow as his son recounted the death of the young man at the the D of D tournament. As the secrets came out, his anger at these people who had put his son through this... horror... grew. He wanted to kill someone. He wanted them in jail, he wanted them dead. His anger continued unabated until his son wound down to what had happened when his son. He knew that there had to be more to the story, but Kenichi faltered and finished, he felt he needed to fill the silence.

"This... Miu, tell me son, how are you going to take responsibility for this? From what you have said you must have hurt her quite badly..." For all of his bravado and silence, Mototsugu was quaking inside. Damn these martial artists and their stupid training. They needed to be taught a lesson. His knuckles tightened as Kenichi began to recount more of the extreme training involved in this foolish Ryozenpaku Dojo. He realized suddenly that his son had stopped speaking, only quietly sobbing.

"Son, from what you are saying, you don't really know what happened. You are running for no good reason. As powerful as these people seem to be, the law can be brought to bear to protect you from the worst of their vengeance. As for Miu, I don't have any good advice... You hurt her, and it appears you will need to bear that responsibility for the rest of your life."

"I know dad. I just need to get away, I need to clear my head before I go back and face them... her. I don't know what to do..." Kenichi began to break down again, obviously overcome by what had happened. Motosugu was about to hug his son when the front door was opened.

"Honey, I am home, is dinner ready?" Kenichi's mothers voice seemed to wake Kenichi from whatever trance he had been in. HE stood suddenly, his pack on his back and the window opening before his father could stop him. "Kenichi, WAIT."

"I can't face mother, what would she say? What can..." his statement carried off as Motosugu interrupted him. "I know what you need to do, but you need money to go where you're going." He strode out of the room, coming back a moment later with a small leather book and a long package bound up in sackcloth. "Take these, the gun you can pawn, the dealer in Nerima knows me, the book, read it, perhaps it can help..."

"Thank you father... Please don't tell anyone that you have seen me, I don't want to be followed.

"I understand son..." With that Kenichi bounded out the window, the darkened night air chill as it blew over his fathers face "Be safe..."

Unknown to father and son, quietly sitting on a rooftop nearby, a set of eyes and keen ears listened and watched everything. One Fist would need to know about this. Yomi had a way to destroy Ryozenpaku's disciple... all they needed to do was push the right buttons.


	5. Fortune

Fortune

Miu woke early the Monday after Kenichi had left, her normal perky disposition ruined by her stomach flu. She had just begun her morning abolutions when her stomach churned uncontrollably and she vomited on the clean white tile on the floor. She normally did not get sick, but she had been up at nights crying recently trying to come to terms with what had happened. She sat on the floor for a moment, wallowing in her own misery before she stood suddenly, and brushing her nausa aside, cleaned up the mess and prepared to make the morning breakfest for the masters.

*****

Shigure was an early riser, and though she had been awakened many times before due to her keen danger sense, she rarely felt as out of sorts as she did now, the sorry that Miu radiated sorrow, so much that it had startled Shigure awake. Ever since the day that Kenichi had fled, Miu had been a completely different person. Her hair, normally lustrous and well taken care of, was lax and waxy. The food that she made, ordinarilly a treat, was bland and tasteless. Anytime anyone had tried to approach her about what happened, to consoul her about the situation, she had shunned them with a shrug, and then wandered off. Several of her friends from school had come seeking her out as she had not been attending, but their attempts to help her had been fruitless.

Deciding that enough was enough, Shigure ventured out to finally confront Miu on this, one way or another.

*****

Kenichi had kept a constant moving pace for the last three days. His body and mind were weary from the strain, and he knew that he was nearly at his limit. Checking into a low rent hotel on a back street would do him some good, even if he did get a few hours of sleep, he knew he could keep moving. The counter clerk was a grubby old man, soot and ashtrays gathering dust on the 50's formica counter top as Kenichi paid cash and checked into the second floor. Dropping his bags and locking the door, he fell on the bed into a dreamless, sound sleep...

Kenichi woke, his tormented visions of Miu under him waking him into a gasping, clawing cold sweat. His dreams, fevered, strange mixes between eroticism and violence flashed behind his eyes for a moment before he blinked and tried to banish them away... He stood, stripping out of his sweat soaked clothes and moving to the dingy barthroom. The water hit his body like a sledgehammer, waking him up and making him realize how much he needed the sleep. He stopped for a moment as he wrapped the towel around his waist, looking in the mirror for the first time since leaving. His eyes were shadowed, his cheekbones were sunken in. He needed more rest he knew, but he couldn't meet his gaze to face the demons inside. Walking out of the bathroom, his danger sense suddenly pinged, and dropping to the ground in a front roll, he dodges the two kurenai that embedded themselves in the doorframe by the bathroom.

"Bravo, Kenichi-san, you have been trained well by Ryozenpaku... but it appears that training is at an end for you..." a smooth male voice said from the shadow of the window by Kenichi's western style bed. Ogata Kensei stood from the small recliner, the shadows from the failing sunlight playing strangely across his face as he stood and continued, as though he hadn't been throwing kurenai at Kenich fifteen seconds earlier. "I have a propoition for you..."

****

Miu was feeling ill as she began filling the rice cooker. Her stomach wasn't settling down the past few days, and she couldn't pin down exactly why. She had been avoiding everyone as much as possible. She needed to see Kenichi, to know that he was alright, and then to explain the magnitiude of the misunderstanding that had chased him away. She needed desperately to be held by him. After what had happened, she had felt a great, knawing hole inside her that was only filled when she thought of him. It was becoming worrisome how sick she felt, but stress did that. As she spooned another dole of rice into the cooker, she felt the bile rise in her stomach again, and barely making it to the bin, she bent over and purged her stomach again for the third time that morning.

As she stood, a light blocked out the doorway for a moment. Without warning, Shigure was there, blocking the exit to the kitchen and with a serious expression on her face. She wordlessly offered Miu a towel to clean up a bit before pointing at the small kitchen table. Feeling a well of emotions that she could not control rise, Miu helplessly attempted to clean the bile out of her hair as she sat heavily. She had barely finished when Shigure forced her chin up, her piercing eyes making Miu unable to turn away and Shigure examined something deep within Miu's own blue orbs.

"Tell me everything" was all that was needed, and suddenly Miu was sobbing in Shigures chest, the truth of the disaterous training rolling out like a tsunami. After the story finished, Shigure looked pensive for a moment before speaking.

"These urges you felt, they are normal, and giving into them... is normal."

"NORMAL?!" Miu wanted to run away, to hide. No one understood, not even Shigure. She stood to leave, turning a bitter laugh at the older woman before she left. Even as she stood, a flash came out of no where, and a stinging blow to Miu's cheek dropped her back to the chair, the red welt already raising as Shigure again pinned Miu with her steel like gaze.

"Normal. As in expected. You are both attracted to each other, and even while you ignored it yourselves, everyone else..." Shigure paused for a moment, cocking her head very gently before continuing "does and did know it. If you tell the truth about what happened, people will understand. You're going to need to tell the truth as it is now, because in about three months, you're going to start showing anyway..."

"Showing?! What...do....you........mean............" A small gasp errupted from her as everything began to click. She couldn't... there wasn't any wa.... but then the sickness and the niggling little reminders came together, and she realized as darkness fell, that finding Kenichi had just become even more important... right before the tiny pinprick at the base of her neck made her fall deep into sleep.

Shigure only nodded her head sadly as Miu dropped off, Shigure catching her before she crumpled to the floor. Motioning, she beckoned the other masters into the kitchen, the commotion eariler drawing them out of their morning habits and drawing them in. Of all of them, Ma was ashen faced, the guilt of realizing that he had unwittingly helped with this situation making him pull his hat lower. Lifting Miu in his arms, Akesami carried her to his clinic for rest, and to help sort out what the future meant for the mother to be...


	6. Foundation

Foundation

It was a pleasant dream, one Miu had many times in the past year. She was in the mountains near home, the mid spring buds falling about and blowing pleasantly. Far in the distant valley were thunderclouds, but here in the high fields it was peaceful and just cool enough to keep the oppressive heat down. The storm also pushed the spring smell up ahead of the gathering clouds, blowing the scent of life around and refreshing the sky after the drab winter. It had been cold, and Kenichi had worried they would not have enough lumber, to which she replied there were lots of ways to stay warm during the cold weather. He had blushed, and they had made it through. Today though, she wore her favorite yellow summer dress, the one that Kenichi had given her for their anniversary so many years ago. It looked to be a good year, and she was ready to go in and change to start planting their herb garden for the summer.

As she began to tick the different herbs off in her head that needed to be planted, a strong presense behind her gave her just enough warning to, as always, attempt throw her attacker. Before she could, however, strong arms wrapped themselves around her, and holding just under her generous bust, whispered "miss me?" Kenichi asked. She startled for a moment before turning around and quickly eying her husband up with the severe look that all wives give when their husbands do something unexpected.

Kenichi had grown in the years they had been together, and while he always had a strong aura of calm before, now he was both filled physically and showed mental calm, the emotional force of his movements making even the most outraged martial artist pause. He was still regularly hit on by women ten and twenty years younger, to Miu's consternation. The slight gray at his temples was the only sign of his age, for all intents and purposes he looked just like he did when he was 30... As her danger sense abated, she snuggled further into his embrace and, sighing with exasperation, mentioned again how she USED to be able to do well enough guard from that attack before someone learned to guard against it.

Laughing heartily, Kenichi just buried his head in her still blond hair and smelled the fragrance of the evening, his arms tightening slightly as thunder rumbled up from below somewhere. The fields and dells below their home were serene, with rolling forests climbing up out of the shadowed valley below. The only sound for miles was the waterfall off in the distance, the brook that fed down the mountains, and the rapidly approaching summer storms. Even with all the peace, Kenichi had a look of consternation on his face for some reason, though.

Miu was struck quiet seeing Kenichi like this. After so many years, so many battles, he had still retained a simple outlook on life. He was long to anger, quick to cool down, kind to a fault and would help nearly anyone at the drop of a hat. They had been on adventures togther because of this, seen so many places, been a part of revoultions, wars, small scale scraps with gangsters, pirates, everything imaginable, and yet here was Kenichi standing before her, the same smile, only slightly tinged by age. He had truly inherited the style of Sei, her grandfather had passed everything to them, knowing that the school, the future was brighter with them before he passed those many years ago.

"We haven't heard from him in weeks, where could that boy have gotten off to? I know he said he wanted to train in China, but this is starting to get to me..." Kenichi asked before being gently hushed by Miu.

"He will return, he is alot like grandfather in that respect, lord knows grandfather was always good at disappearing when he didn't want to be found. He willl return when he is readfy."

"I know... I know. It still makes me worry what he is doing." One of the few things Kenichi would worry about in this day and age was their son, Keisuke. He was very much like his father, except the shock of blonde hair that he had inheritied from his mother. He was a martial artist, and like all good ones, was currently training with "Aunite" Renka. He had just graduated from High School, and had decided to go out on his own to study. The thought of her one time rival marred Miu's thoughts for a moment, before a mischevious smile played across her face. "You know while he is gone, we can always... find something to occupy our time..."

She began to move up Kenich's chest, taking care to unbutton each of the toggles on his chinese style shirt with her left hand while her right hand pulled him closer. She had just begun to really enjoy the sensation of closeness when a alarm jangled behind them. Snapping to attention and spinning, Miu was suddenly greeted by the sight of a black clad figure standing in the snowy moutain, their beloved son's head still dripping blood as his lifeless eyes stared into nothing. Miu began to scream, and scream, and scream as her dream turned into the most horrible nightmare imaginable...

*****

Akisame heard the screaming first, a high pitched keening coming from the small exam room off his office. Striding in quickly, he found Miu balled in a corner of the small space, her curled up body attempting to hide her sobs from the rest of the world. He was quickly followed behind by Shigure, Apachai, and Ma, all of them worried about Miu's state of mind after her revelation eariler in the evening. Striding over to the curled up girl, Akisame had her laid back out on the rest bed and relaxed through careful application of Shiastu and a pressure point. Her eyes swiveled from side to side, suddenly coming to rest on Akisame, and as the sobs turned into full blown crying, he found himself hard pressed to know what to do. He was still standing impotently when Shigure came placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and beckoned for him to leave. As the door closed behind them, he again saw Shigure explaining to a wide eyed Miu about what was going to happen from this point on.

Takeda finished his morning "jog" with Shibuya sensei on his back and then realized that he would need to go in for his treatment from Akisame sensei today. He had avoided Ryozenpaku since Kenichi had defeated him, and would not be able to avoid facing Miu after his defeat. Sighing with resignation, he donned his weight belt and set off for the dojo, his steps belying the weight in his heart...

*****

Kenichi was so shocked that he had been found this quickly, and by of all orginzations Yomi that he was struck dumb for a moment before he realized the towel had slipped down his legs. Shocked he hastily grabbed a pair of boxers from his bag and skipped back into the bathroom, just a moment before Ogata heard the window crash open and the distinct sound of sizzling flesh. He had planned well, and the highly electrified window would not be used for an escape today. Kenichi hissed in pain a moment, he emerged from the bathroom, throwing something long and black towards Ogatas still seated form. The Kurnai embedded itself in the plaster next to the older mans head before he rose to his feet, and rushing suddenly, pushed his open palm deep into Kenichi's stomach as his other came down and knocked Kenichi unconsious. Ogata raised an eyebrow at the bruises and obvious signs of battle on Kenichi's body before slinging him over his shoulder and leaving the room into the early morning.

*****

Kenichi startled himself awake suddenly. He was in a plain white cell, the only thing in the room was the metal chair he was strapped to, and the door on the other side of the room. A harsh white bulb was the only light, and though it lit the room, it cast strange shadows on the walls as it was moved by the ventilation fan in the roof.

The door opened after an intermiable amount of time, and Ogata again stepped into the room. He held a glass of water in one hand, and a towel in the other. He moved up to Kenichi and holding the lukewarm water against Kenichi's mouth, ordered him to drink before stepping back and kneeling down so he was level with him. He watched Kenichi's eyes for an moment before grinning wickedly and sitting down so he was staring up into Kenichi's eyes.

"What do you want? Are you here to kill me? Go ahead. Save Miu and her grandfather the trouble. That's what you specialize in, isn't it? Killing? DO IT!" Kenichi's head dropped suddenly, the self loathing and anger plain on his face.

The pathetic display he was showing was beginning to sicken Ogata. If this child had been trained properly, something as simple as what had happened would have not broken the boy so badly. Ogata recognized the loom on his face, the scared and weak person looking for an easy way out. A rueful smile crossed his face a memory before Ogata sneered=and kicking out as if to remove Kenichi's head with a forward kick, was suddenly blocked by the young mans rapid defense. Kenichi had not only snapped the ropes that had bound him, but had kicked out with his legs fast enough to force Ogata's kick higher than his head.

"It appears that you are not ready to die, despite what your mind and heart believe, Kenichi. You were trained well, and now you're training has all come to nothing. In fact, you were trained so well that your body reacts before your mind can, and I doubt that you could just let yourself die. I won't lie, I am saving you from the knife by being here, but I have a proposition for you..."

Kenichi listened, the aura of dark blue begining to darken around him as he realized he truly was out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Ogata knew from his underlings minions the rough story of what had happened, and it was all he could do to restrain One Fist from finding and destroying the young martial artist immediately. The death threat that he spoke of was quite real. Kenichi had one choice, and if he didn't follow that choice, he would be dead before he left this room. Ogata had sworn that oath to One Fist. Despite everything that had happened between Miu's grandfather and One Fist, Saiga Furinji, Miu was still his daughter, and he had thse same paternal instincts that all men had about their daughter.s Hearing about the rape had incensed him to the point of near berserk, and it had taken all of the Shadow fists combined to prevent him from destroying this young man himself. Ogata had finally hatched a plan, one that would remove both Kenichi, deliver Miu into Yomi's grasp, and remove Ryozenpaku's silly no killing beliefs in one fell swoop. All Ogata needed to do was convince Kenichi. He had the perfect tool after all, guilt....

*********************************************************************************************************  
Authors note:


	7. Fragile

Fragile

Miu fidgeted uncomfortably as she sat seiza in the Shirahama residence. Since Kenichi had fled two months previous, she had been avoiding coming to visit, fearing what the truth of her condition may do to Kenich's parents. She had been dreading as the doctor had confirmed Shigure's suspicions on why she had been ill so much. WIth confirmation had come first denial, then anger, then depression. She had raged for days at Kenichi, at her grandfather, at anyone who rose her ire. It had come to a head one evening less than three weeks later when an unexpected visitor had dropped in to Ryozenpaku.

*****

Renka had become fed up with her fathers constant dodging. She had been forced to go home to China to begin negotiations with a tribe in far western Qinghai province over a dispute a century old. It was a long arduous trek, and she was happy to be back after dealing with the Joketsu tribe. They had many strong women, and she had been warned to not challenge any of the women there. She had followed diligently, although the startling endowed redhead being chased by the purple haired girl with the giant bombari made her chuckle at the time. The Purple haired girl had chased around the obviously female redhead screaming "Wo Ai Ni, airen." Renka had decided not to get involved in this obviously aberrant tribe, and concluded her business without further incident.

As Renka bounded over the wall of the dojo, she noticed the silence immediately. Normally Ryozenpaku was full of laughter, crashes and the occasional screams due to Kenichi's constant training. The still silence as she opened the small wood door near the main gate bothered her. Ether the masters were out, or were attempting to teach new forms. She had tried to sense if Kenichi was nearby, but she didn't feel his familar presense. Shrugging her shoulders, she had just turned the corner to go the training hall when she saw Miu entering the kitchen. A grin spread over her face, and she decided to rankle her rival a bit before Kenichi returned. As she silently approached with the intent to surprise her blonde haired nemesis, some inner sense made her stop and listen just out of range of the doorway.

"Grandfather, I can't face them. Not yet. Please." The pain in Miu's voice was obvious. She was under a great deal of stress about something. Renka stepped slightly closer to the door to peek around the corner as Miu's grandfather began speaking, grave and low.

"You must grand daughter. It may be inconvenient, and even slightly scary, but you two WILL need to wed once the boy has been found. It is his responsibility, and yours in this case. Family honor is at stake, not to mention the life that you now carry inside of you. They must know, least there be more heartache later. It will be difficult enough for us to make amends with the Shirahama family as it is, without putting off this."

"But when Kenichi comes back...." Miu began before being interrupted by her grandfathers stony stare.

"When Kenichi comes back, which may be several months away, he will need to be prepared to deal with the consequences of what happened. You love the boy enough to know he will take the responsibility that honor demands, but his parents may not. We need to diffuse the situation as soon as possible. That means facing them. Tomorrow. I have already arranged the Ominai, even if Kenichi cannot be there." Miu's grandfather ended the conversation sternly, before turning and walking out without a backwards glance.

Renka was struck dumb. Life? Child? WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bursting into the kitchen, she was struck by the changes in Miu. The signs were all there, the way Miu stood had changed subtley, her hips had changed angles, her stomach seemed fuller. However, what made Renka realize the truth of the matter was the look in her eyes. Before Miu's eyes had been a clear azure, nearly sky blue. Now they seems to have storm in them. As Renka locked eyes with her rival, she realized that Miu was in as much pain at the situation as Renka.

Miu's hair, normally a bright, almost honey blonde was lanky and not well taken care of. Her eyes, normally crystal clear and sunny were red from crying, her aura seemed to be a dark almost black shade. Even as these facts came to Renka, the anger that had boiled up over the months of trying to gain Kenichi's attention came to the fore. All thoughts of consolation for the gir... no woman before her were blown away with the realization that she had lost. A rage that built up slowly, unacknowledged but present suddenly asserted itself with a vengeance and Renka found her voice speaking with no connection to the rest of her body. Words flowed out like the river, angry and sharp.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO HIM?!" Renka wanted to scream, to rage, to tear and rend Miu. She had taken HER Kenichi. The raging fire dropped, red and deadly over Renkas eyes before a light pressure from her blind spot stuck a shiatsu point on her exposed neck, forcing her suddenly non responding body into one of the old kitchen chairs. Renka felt her fathers ki snap into focus behind her before she could begin a wallpaper burning verbal beatdown of her father.

"I had hoped to intercept her before she arrived and did something dumb. I apologize." Ma spoke softly, obviously trying to diffuse the situation before it became worse and escalated.

"Why? What did you do? WHY? WHYWHYWHYWHY...." Renka felt tears stinging her cheeks as the words spilled out about what had occurred those two months ago. She couldn't believe this... this... hussy had taken her Kenichi from her. How dare she take something so important, then chase him away? She would pay. Oh yes... she would most dearly. She felt one of her hands loosen from anger, and eyed the kitchen knife near her hand glow invitingly. It would be a quick attack, but she felt herself quell even as the darkness inside her screamed to kill the woman before her. Her father cleared his throat then, breaking her train of thought before she could fully form a plan of attack.

"Daughter, you must stop this. You are not the only one who this affects anymore." Ma was trying to keep his voice even, soothing as he always was with his daughter as she dealt with painful realities.

"You're one to talk you philandering old letch!" Renka interrupted her father. Miu broke in then, her voice still full of pain and sorrow at the situation.

"You're right Renka, I took him from you. I'm sorry." Turning her expression from her father, she found Miu sitting on her knees, head bowed down to touch the ground. "I don't understand how it happened. But it did, and I will not lose him. Not now, please, if you hate me, hate me, but don't hurt your father and Kenichi. I am the one that you are angry with. I took Kenichi from you, from everyone. I'm so sorry..."

As her apology finished, Renka looked at the sobbing and downcast woman before her and like a unstoppable force, realized the magnitude what had happened. She had lost. She had lost in the most spectacular fashion, and there was nothing she could do. Miu and Kenichi were not indelibly linked for the rest of their lives. Even if Kenichi did not accept Miu after he found out about the child, he would be honor bound to Miu forever. Renka could hold her anger no longer, struggling to fight off the effects of her father's use of pressure points, she began to struggle and fight, wanting nothing more than to tear Miu limb from limb, child or not.

"Daughter, you will be silent before you do something stupid..." The raw betrayal in burned at her father for a moment before she turned her face towards Miu.

"Bitch" was the only word she could spit before darkness dropped from another pressure point, her fluttering eyes watching the tears forming at the corner of Miu's eyes as darkness fell...

Renka's reaction was still fresh in Miu's mind as her left foot became uncomfortable. Kenichi's parents had been shocked at the turn of events. His father was ashen faced as Miu explained what had happened. He had taken Miu's mother aside after explainations were made. Miu, normally able to sit for hours in this position, felt the dull ache flare into a nova of pain. Her cry brought Kenichi's parents back to her. She was ready to accept anything. Anger, disgust, denial, anything really. She was surprised to feel Kenichi's mother encase her in a warm hug. "Oh you poor dear, let me help you..." Miu suddenly found herself sobbing into the arms of her new, yes, family...


End file.
